MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS: Family conflicts and the pain children feel
By Jeanine Hatt
Special to the Herald Democrat
The coronavirus pandemic is straining many marriages some to the breaking point. There are signs that separations and the divorce rate is rising as couples struggle with the emotional and economic fallout of the past year. According an article in WebMD last November, family lawyers surveyed in April and July reported a 25% to 35% increase in requests to start divorce proceedings compared to the same time in 2019.
Unfortunately, the family members who are most at risk of being hurt are the children. There are so many times that, during a child’s visit in my pediatric office, I have witnessed a parent criticizing the other parent in front of the child as well as admitting that there are heated arguments at home with the children present. New research warns that kids who see their parents bicker are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depres